


Distant memories

by Anshie



Category: Inazuma Eleven, Inazuma Eleven GO
Genre: Family, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-01
Updated: 2015-03-01
Packaged: 2018-03-15 21:20:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3462470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anshie/pseuds/Anshie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Midorikawa tells Kariya about his and Hiroto's high school time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Distant memories

It was a cold and dark evening in December. A young boy of six years was lying under his thick blanket, watching the snowflakes fall outside of the window right next to his bed. The street lamps that were shining into the room added a golden shimmer to the icy crystals. It looked beautiful. So peaceful and somehow magical. He wished he could go outside to play in the snow, but...

Footsteps could be heard from outside of the room and then the door was opened slowly. A young woman with dark eyes and her hair tied up into an elegant bun walked in as quietly as possible with those high heels she was wearing. The boy had closed his eyes, pretending to sleep, and only opened them when she was kneeling next to his bed, leaning down and carefully placing her flat hand on his forehead.  
"How do you feel, dear?", she asked with a soft and calming voice, yet with a worried tone in it. "Want me to stay here a little?"  
The boy looked up at her and smiled, then he shook his head a little weakly. "It's fine. Nee-chan would be sad if you didn't join the Christmas party."  
The woman took her hand off his forehead after checking his temperature and still looked down at her son worriedly. She didn't like the thought of leaving her ill child alone at home. She turned her head to his nightstand, which had several small bottles of medicine, pills, and an inhaler on it.  
"It's fine, Mommy", the boy repeated and made her turn back at him. She looked at him for some more seconds, then sighed and got up to her feet.  
"Alright, but if anything happens, if you start feeling worse again, you will call immediately, understood?", she said and put the phone that she had been holding in her free hand up to now on his nightstand as well. "You just have to press the button with the red phone icon on it. You know how it's done, right?"  
"Okay, Mommy! Tell me later how Nee-chan's play was", the boy said with his quiet but optimistic voice. She looked back at him once more and then smiled too.  
"We'll record it for you." She leaned over him, placed both her hands on his cheeks, and kissed his forehead. "Try to sleep a little."  
The boy nodded, and closed his eyes again.  
"I love you, sweetie. Good night."  
"Nighty night, Mommy. I love you too."

When he woke up, the first thing he could hear was the howling of the wind. It was dark around him. No light was shining into the room anymore. Maybe the storm had broken the street lamp. He rolled on his side, closing his eyes again. He felt sleepy but his head hurt and his back was wet from sweating. It was far too warm with this blanket, so he pushed it away, helping with his feet to make it fall down from the bed. But as soon as he had done this, he regretted it. His little body started shivering instantly. He felt that his throat and tongue were dry, so he pushed himself up into a sitting position to get something to drink and pick up the blanket. As soon as he sat, the room around him started spinning. He squinted his eyes shut and rubbed them but it didn't help much so he just reached out for the glass of water on his nightstand. He managed only a little sip before he started coughing like crazy. The glass fell to the floor and the water seeped into the carpet. The boy held his chest. Tears were running over his face while he tried to calm his breath and reached out one hand to find the inhaler, bringing it to his lips as fast as he could.  
His lungs hurt with every breath he took but at least he didn't feel like he was suffocating after using the inhaler. He turned his head to the left and rubbed his eyes to wipe the tears away and see the shape of the phone in the dark room. He grabbed it and pushed the buttons with trembling fingers. Luckily, it didn't take long before he could hear his mother's voice on the other end of the line.  
"Mommy", he whimpered. "Can you come home please?"

...  
The next thing he remembered was waking up in a bed that wasn't his own. It was a hospital room but the boy didn't know that at this point. He had opened his eyes only for a second, then closed them again. He felt tired and exhausted. He didn't even have the strength to move and it felt like a lump in his throat had grown so big that he couldn't talk at all. He wanted to call for his Mother but he couldn't. His chest hurt like crazy.  
He heard voices in the room but he didn't know who was talking. Though once he was fully awake, he began to understand what they were saying. It were two female voices. But it wasn't his mother and sister. He didn't know these people.  
"What a tragic story that is...", one voice said. "And what will happen to the boy now?"  
"I heard the doctor say they couldn't reach any relative. Apparently, the family wasn't in touch with them and nobody is willing to take care of the boy now."  
The woman who had asked the question, a young nurse who was talking to her colleague, shook her head and sighed while looking over to the bed with a worried expression.  
"That makes it even more sad... He's still so young. He shouldn't have lost his parents and sister all at once. And how long was he lying alone and unconscious in this house before they found him? Praise god for at least saving his little soul."  
  


~  
  


Midorikawa's eyes were opened and he stared up to the ceiling above the bed. It was almost full moon and the moonlight was shining into the room since he didn't fully close the curtains. He didn't like to sleep in perfect darkness.  
After staring a moment without moving at all, he started blinking and some tears that had began blurring his view ran down over his cheeks. He sniffed and got up into a sitting position, raising his hand to rub his eyes while doing so. He turned around to switch on the lamp on his nightstand, reached out for the glass of water, and took a small sip, then kept holding the glass while staring down at the blanket in front of him. That dream... He hadn't dreamt of that day in ages. He turned his head to the right. The other side of the double bed was empty. That must have been the reason. He just dreamt of it because he was alone tonight. Just like that one night 18 years ago.

Suddenly, he heard the noise of the door being slowly opened and looked up. A young boy with long hair pointing into every direction just as if it hadn't seen a comb since years slipped into the room and kept standing there in his pyjamas for a moment, just staring over at him.  
"Kariya?", Midorikawa said surprisedly and put the glass of water back onto his nightstand. "Are you alright?"  
"Are you?", the boy asked back, earning only a more confused look from the older one. "I heard you screaming", Kariya said.  
Now that explained everything. When Midorikawa woke up a minute ago, he couldn't remember that he had screamed. His expression softened into a gentle smile.  
"Sorry for waking you up. I just had a nightmare."  
Kariya didn't say anything but just looked at him for another moment, then started moving. The cushion he was holding in his hand wiped the floor while he walked over to the bed and crawled onto it. He turned around with his back facing Midorikawa and then shifted backwards to sit between the other's spread legs, his cushion pressed against his chest and his legs pulled up. Midorikawa would usually comment on it and tease Kariya for being clingy but right now, he was just thankful and glad to have him around. He smiled and wrapped his arms around the boy, his chin resting on Kariya's head.  
They stayed like this for some minutes, neither of them saying anything. After a while Midorikawa started to brush through Kariya's messy hair with his hand but the boy didn't complain like he'd usually do.  
"I can sleep here, right?", the boy finally asked. "Since Hiroto is not here."  
"Hmm." Midorikawa nodded. He didn't mind Kariya sleeping in their bed. When he was younger, the boy used to do that often, even if it was getting a little tight with three people in one double bed.  
"So what did you dream of?", Kariya suddenly asked. Whenever he had a nightmare, Midorikawa asked him about it, so it was only fair if he did the same. But he only felt Midorikawa shaking his head behind him.  
"Would be a too long story to tell", he said.  
"I don't mind, I'm not feeling sleepy anyway", Kariya answered and Midorikawa chuckled.  
"But you should sleep. It's late and you have to be fit for school."  
Kariya shrugged his shoulders.  
"Then tell me about your dream. Maybe a bedtime story helps." He was persistent as always. Midorikawa patted his head.  
"Trust me, a nightmare is never a good bedtime story."  
"Hmmm..." The boy sounded a little like he pouted and bumped his head back against Midorikawa's shoulder before leaning against his chest.  
"Then tell me another story", he suggested. "How did you and Hiroto become a couple?"  
"Eeeh?" Midorikawa made a surprised noise, followed by the clearing of his throat. Why did he ask that all of a sudden? When Kariya noticed the shy reaction, he couldn't help but to grin and continued only to tease Midorikawa more.

"What's wrong? Is the story too embarrassing to tell? -Outch!"  
After that question, Midorikawa had flicked his head with his index finger.  
"Watch it!", he said, putting a tone in his voice that was meant to sound a little scolding but he didn't really mean it. Kariya raised his hand and rubbed his head while making a "Pffff" sound.  
"Alright, if you really wanna hear it, I'll tell you", Midorikawa decided. "It was only shortly after we started high school..."

  
~  
  


It was a sunny day in February and it was quite warm for this time of the year. Midorikawa was alone in the classroom and was about to finish cleaning the floor.  
"Phew!" He let out a sigh and wiped his forehead, then placed his hand on his hip while he was holding the broom in his other hand. He looked around, then decided he was satisfied with his work and brought the broom back to its place in the corner behind the door before walking over to the windows. The plants in their pots looked like they could really need some fresh water. Whoever had been on duty the past weeks obviously didn't care too much about their task. He laid a finger onto one of the green leaves that were slightly hanging downwards, running his finger over it while staring outside the window absentmindedly.

"Midorikawa?"  
He startled and turned around in a flash to see Hiroto standing close to the classroom door, wearing his soccer jersey.  
"Still here? I thought you'd join the others playing soccer."  
Ah right! Nagumo had suggested to have a little match on the school grounds. Nothing official, just playing for fun.  
"I planned to", Midorikawa said. "But then Soraya-san asked me if I could take over her cleaning duty today since she felt sick."  
Hiroto arched a brow.  
"Soraya? But I just saw her hanging out with her friends, eating ice cream in the school garden." He sighed and shook his head while walking over to his friend. "You know? You're just too friendly. Come on, the classroom is clean enough now. Look outside! The weather is so beautiful today and you're missing all the fun."  
Midorikawa smiled gently. He wasn't really annoyed to hear that his classmate might just have taken advantage of his friendliness. Maybe she had felt sick earlier but now she was fine? Even if not, he didn't mind taking over while for her, class duty seemed to be a real burden.  
"It's fine", he answered Hiroto. "There is a saying that goes: Business before pleasure. I want to water the plants first. Just go back to the others, I'll join you later."  
Hiroto didn't look satisfied with this answer but still he didn't try to convince him. "Alright, if you say so. See you later then!" And with that, he waved and left the classroom.

Midorikawa had filled the small watering can and was just about to water the first plant when he saw Hiroto leaving the school building and crossing the yard. Ah wait, wasn't that Soraya-san and her friends? The girls walked over to Hiroto and then handed him something, while looking all shy and bowing a little too formal in Midorikawa's opinion. For a moment, he was confused about it, wondering what the girls were giving him, but then he remembered. "Ah right, it's Valentine's Day..." To him, this day didn't have any meaning but the girls always made a big fuss out of it. And Hiroto had been given chocolate even during middle school. No wonder his popularity would only rise more now that they were in high school. Midorikawa let out a "Hmpf" and shook his head, sighing and mumbling "Oh dear..." to himself before he concentrated on his work again.

~  
  
A few days had passed and it was the evening when the children of the Sun Garden orphanage sat together around the dinner table just like every day. As expected with so many young people in one house, it was anything but quiet. Everyone had a lot to tell and to be heard you had to be louder than the others. Today, Fumiko made the race.  
"And then he said _Sorry, but I have a giiiirlfriend!_ ", she yelled and sounded super annoyed, then put a huge piece of fish into her mouth and continued talking with her mouth full. "I mean, who the hell does he think he is? It's an HONOUR to get chocolate from ME on Valentine's day. No other guy would have refused!"  
"Maybe he's into less snotty girls", Netsuha said but regretted it a second later, when Reina, who sat next to him, slapped him with her flat hand onto the back of his head to support her best friend Fumiko. "OUTSCH! Hey?!"  
"Fuck you, Nepper!", Fumiko mumbled with her rice bowl held up right under her nose while sending the boy sitting face to face with her a dangerous glare. Thought it was still loud enough for Hitomiko, who just entered the room, to hear it.  
"Hey!", she interrupted the little argument. "That's enough. Fumiko, Netsuha, Reina too!"  
"But he started!", Reina grumbled.  
"I don't care who started. I want neither insults nor violence in this house."  
Reina sighed while Fumiko rolled her eyes and Netsuha rubbed the back of his head with his hand. Some of the others giggled or shook their heads but didn't care too much. Arguments like that were nothing rare. But as easily as they arose, they disappeared, so there was nothing to worry about.  
"Speaking of girlfriends", Shigeto started. "I heard rumours of our Daddy's darling dating a girl as well now." He grinned and looked over to Hiroto, who had just choked on his water.  
"No, really?", An almost jumped to her feet, smashing both her flat hands onto the table and looking at Hiroto with big eyes.  
"Is that true?"  
Midorikawa, who sat next to Hiroto, had turned his head into his friend's direction, waiting for his answer curiously. And while he hadn't cared enough for the previous conversation and argument to stop eating, now he did so. Even if he didn't notice.  
"I-It's nothing important really", Hiroto finally mumbled, clearly feeling uncomfortable to suddenly be the centre of attention.  
And that was the moment Midorikawa's heart skipped a beat. Up to this point, he had been sure Hiroto would simply explain that those rumours were not true. Like he always did. Because it wasn't the first time such a rumour came up. But he didn't deny it, so that meant... Hiroto had a girlfriend? Who? And since when? And most of all: Why did Midorikawa - his best friend - not know it?  
"Ne, ne, Hiroto! Who is it?", Ruru asked but before Hiroto could open his mouth, Shigeto answered the question for him.  
"No other than the school's most popular girl, Soraya Naomi-chan! Oooh I must admit, I'm a little jealous, ha ha!", he said and laughed.  
"You're kidding?!", Nagumo suddenly interfered. "That hottie?! Why does HE always get-" When he looked over to Hiroto, his gaze met that of Suzuno who was sitting between him and Hiroto. The white haired boy didn't have to say a single word - his cold eyes were enough to make Nagumo shut up. He would probably have to suffer later for that comment.

"I said it's nothing important", Hiroto repeated his words while staring down at his rice bowl. "Now stop making a big deal out of it."  
"Ha ha, he's shy!", An laughed.  
"Everybody's darling and the school's beauty queen... I must admit that makes a good match", Reina said calmly and nodded.  
"Reina, not you too!", Hiroto complained to her.  
"He he." The girl with the blue hair grinned and winked at him, then continued eating.  
Midorikawa didn't say anything. He just kept staring at his bowl, poked his rice with his chopsticks but then put them down next to the bowl and got up, leaving the room without a word.  
"Eeeh? What's wrong with him now?", Fumiko wondered. But then everyone went back to eating and chatting and Hiroto was glad that the topic had changed. Even if an unwell feeling remained in his stomach.

~  
  
The next day, Midorikawa didn't feel well. He couldn't concentrate in class and when the teacher asked him something, he didn't know the answer. Not because he wouldn't have learned but because he didn't hear the question and didn't want to admit that and ask back. Only a few seconds after, he was already staring out of the window absentmindedly again. Even when the bell rang, he took his time to gather his stuff and put it into his bag. The classroom was almost empty when he still sat on his chair.  
"Midorikawa?" Hiroto said and sat down on the chair in front of his friend's desk. "Since we have no soccer training today, wanna do something instead?"  
"Hm?", Midorikawa mumbled and looked up at his friend only for a second before averting his eyes again, taking his bag and getting up from his chair. "Ah, actually I-" He didn't manage to finish the sentence when he heard the voice of a girl shouting from the door.  
"Hiroto? Are you coming?" They both turned around and saw Soraya Naomi standing in the doorframe with a cheerful smile on her peach coloured lips.  
"Ah, uhm... y-yes, just a second", Hiroto mumbled and got up but turned back to Midorikawa. Though his friend didn't take his time to look at him while he said: "It's fine. I'll leave you two alone." And before Hiroto could hold him back, Midorikawa had already walked past the girl and out of the room.

He hurried on his way out of the school building and constantly bit his lower lip. There was a really, really bad feeling inside him. A feeling he had never felt before. There had been enough reasons in his life to cry and be sad but this was different. This was... no, he couldn't describe it, but it made him feel like shit.

~  
  
The next weeks were like a daily challenge for Midorikawa. The challenge to avoid Hiroto as much as possible. Which was quite difficult, seeing as they lived in the same house. But he tried his best and used excuse after excuse to get out of his way. He only hoped that his grades would mysteriously become better or else his behaviour might become really suspicious after how many times he used the words "I have to study." The truth was he couldn't concentrate on his studies anyway. He couldn't concentrate on anything. Even at night, it became more and more difficult for him to fall asleep. And when he woke up in the morning, the first thought that came to his mind was Hiroto. Damn, he really didn't know before how... how much he had fallen for him. Realizing it, though, didn't help much either. It only made him feel more desperate because he knew far too well how pointless these feelings were. And that was the reason why he had to avoid him. Forget him. Even if he was right in front of him every day.

The school bell rang and the students left the classroom one after another. As always, Midorikawa was the last one in the room. At least that's what he thought but when he got up from his chair, he saw Hiroto getting up as well and walking over to his side. He hadn't noticed him before, since Hiroto's desk was slightly behind his own. Midorikawa didn't say anything, though. He just walked over to the door and-  
A slamming sound could be heard, when Hiroto's hand pushed against the door to close it right in front of Midorikawa's nose, causing him to stumble backwards, looking at his friend with his brows lowered.  
"What are you doing?", he asked confusedly and sounded a little annoyed as well.  
"That's what I'm asking you", Hiroto answered, keeping his flat hand pressed against the wooden door, to make sure Midorikawa wouldn't just run away.  
"I don't know what you mean", the green haired boy said and turned his head to the side. But this time, this didn't help him much, since Hiroto brought his free hand to his chin, making him look up again. That simple touch was enough to make Midorikawa's heart beat faster. He was so close. So damn close...  
"You're avoiding me", Hiroto said. Oh great, he finally noticed! That was the first thought that came to Midorikawa's mind but then he started getting really nervous. He didn't know what to say. He didn't want to lie but he couldn't tell the truth either.  
"I'm not", he eventually answered, lowering at least his gaze as long as Hiroto was holding his chin up.  
"Why are you doing that?", Hiroto asked, ignoring Midorikawa's reply completely.  
"I said I'm NOT!", Midorikawa shouted and used both his hands to push him away, causing Hiroto to fall against one of the desks in the front row. Without a word, Midorikawa grabbed the doorknob, opened the door, and ran outside.

He ran and ran until he reached the toilet room, where he locked himself up in one of the cabins and buried his face in both hands. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

"Come on Ryuuji, stop this shit!", he mumbled to himself. That was ridiculous. He was running away from his best friend. He should go back and apologize for pushing Hiroto against the desk. Hopefully he didn't hurt his back.  
Midorikawa stayed in the toilet for some more minutes until his breath had steadied. Then he left the room, deciding to apologize to Hiroto in the evening.

~  
  
His plan was immediately ruined, though, when he reached the shoe lockers in the entrance area of the school building and heard Soraya Naomi's voice. He didn't know why but before he thought about it any further, he already found himself hiding behind one of the lockers. He carefully looked around the corner but what he saw made him freeze in his movement.  
There she was, the most popular girl of the school. And in front of her... Hiroto. Leaning down. Kissing her.  
Before Midorikawa managed to move, his bag slipped through his fingers and fell to the floor, making a sound which caused both Hiroto and Soraya to turn their heads towards him. And he was still standing there like an idiot, staring back at Hiroto as if... he was an alien.  
Hiroto opened his mouth to say something, but before the first noise could come over his lips, Midorikawa had bent down, grabbed his bag, and ran past them, out of the school building.  
He heard Hiroto shouting after him, but he didn't stop, he couldn't. He ran as if the devil himself was after him. And right now, Soraya-san, who had always seemed to be so kind and cute, really looked like the devil to him.

While he ran, he didn't pay attention to the tears that started covering his sight and soon made their way over his cheeks. He ran until he felt his lungs hurting. Just like that night many years ago...

When he reached Sun Garden, he tried not to run into anyone and locked himself up in his room. Then he broke down on his bed, rolled onto his side, legs pulled up like a baby, and let the tears out. His whole body was shaking and he was freezing and sweating at the same time. After some minutes, he started coughing really badly because he couldn't breathe properly from crying so much. His head started hurting too. It really felt like he was having a bad fever.

So many thoughts crossed his mind but the most important of them was the question: What should he do now? How should he explain his stupid reaction to Hiroto? How should he be able to look into his face, to talk to him normally? He always knew this day would come. He always knew Hiroto would have a girlfriend one day and would leave him behind. He was just... just Midorikawa. Just a friend. He could never be as close to him as he wanted. He couldn't even tell him that... ...  
It was useless to deny it. He had fallen for him so long ago, always making sure not to act suspicious in any way, always trying to hide his feelings and get used to the fact that they would never be returned. Why should Hiroto like him in such a way? Hiroto was intelligent, attractive, friendly... he was perfect. Why should Hiroto like him if he could have girls like Naomi Soraya? She was beautiful with her long, silky black hair. She had long dark eyelashes and pale porcelain skin. She looked like a perfect doll. While Midorikawa was... well, just an ordinary guy. And obviously Hiroto wasn't into guys.  
The tears had dried on his cheeks and all he did now was stare blankly at the wall next to his bed, eyebrows knitted, fingers clenched into his sheets, unable to relax.  
He would have to face him sooner or later. Better later, though. He could try to act as if the only thing that pissed him off was that Hiroto didn't tell him about his girlfriend. Hopefully he would believe that. But what scared Midorikawa even more was the thought that from now on, he would have to deal with situations like that. He would have to accept Hiroto's girlfriend or else he would lose him completely. The thought of having to stay calm while she was with him, while she... kissed him. - And there they were again, the tears. Seemed like they had only taken a short break.  
"Midorikawa?"  
He startled and sat up in his bed instantly when he heard the knocking on his door and Hiroto's voice calling him. He didn't say anything, though.  
Hiroto knocked again, then pushed down the handle of the door - luckily Midorikawa had locked the door earlier.  
"Hey... Please open the door and talk to me, okay?"  
The boy pulled his legs up and placed his head on his knees.  
"Please just go away, go away", he mumbled quietly to himself so that Hiroto wouldn't hear it.  
On the other side of the door, Hiroto leaned his forehead against the wood, letting out a deep sigh.  
"Midorikawa...", he tried one last time, his voice sounding comforting. "Alright, listen, I don't want to force you but... I really want to talk to you so please, if you feel like it, come over to my room okay? Any time you want, did you hear me?"  
He waited a few seconds but didn't get any reply. He closed his eyes for a second, then he gave up.  
"Okay, I'll leave you alone now."

~  
  
The next morning, Midorikawa didn't show up for breakfast. When Hitomiko tried to make him open his door, he said he felt ill and wouldn't go to school today. So Hiroto had no other choice than leaving the orphanage without him on this day.

Today, he was the one who couldn't concentrate on classes and was staring at random spots absentmindedly. He had felt his best friend turning his back at him so often during the past weeks... He had thought about asking Midorikawa why he distanced himself from him and now Hiroto wondered why he hadn't brought it up earlier. Maybe he had waited just too long.  
Though Midorikawa's reaction when he had seen Hiroto with Soraya was so intense... He could imagine how it must have looked for his friend. That Hiroto had actually been about to tell the girl that he couldn't meet her anymore and that she had then tried to convince and to kiss him was surely not what Midorikawa had seen in it. But would he even believe that, if Hiroto tried to explain it? He had to try at least.

~  
  
The wind was blowing strongly today, especially here on the graveyard, where no trees or buildings stopped it. Midorikawa stroked back some loose strands of his hair and watched the gravestone in front of him silently. His eyes wandered over the letters. "Midorikawa Akira & Rumiko" was written in the first line. And right under that, there was a third name: "Midorikawa Mitsuki".  
No matter how often he visited this place, the feeling that it wasn't real somehow never vanished. As soon as he walked through that gate and past the different graves until he reached the stone with his parents' and sister's name on it, it felt as if he entered a foreign world. A very realistic nightmare or something.  
He kneeled down and placed the flowers he brought down in front of the stone, then kept sitting there without saying anything.  
He didn't know how long he stayed in this position but after a while, his legs started hurting from kneeling and it was getting colder so he got up.

"I thought I'd find you here", he suddenly heard a very familiar voice behind him and turned around in a flash, staring right into Hiroto's face. Why? Why did he follow him even to this place? Midorikawa turned his back at him and bit his lower lip. Seeing him now was enough to make his heart race again. He couldn't face him now. Not yet.  
"Please leave me alone. I'm praying."  
It hurt Hiroto that his friend didn't even look at him, but he tried not to show it. He had probably hurt Midorikawa far more. He had been watching him from a distance for quite a while before approaching him, because he didn't want to disturb in a situation like this. When Midorikawa told him to leave, though, he knew that his friend only used praying as an excuse to avoid talking to him. Still, he hesitated a moment, thinking about what to do, but then he decided to stop thinking and just do what his heart told him to.

Midorikawa was taken aback when Hiroto suddenly hugged him from behind. His eyes widened and his whole body tensed. He couldn't even move his arms because Hiroto's were on top of them. He felt Hiroto's body pressed against his back and his chin resting on Midorikawa's shoulder. Why? Why did he have to do that now? He only made things worse! Midorikawa wanted to push him away, but he couldn't. He was too weak and his wish to stay like this forever was too big. He bit his lower lip and didn't say anything.  
"Well then, let me pray too, if you don't mind", Hiroto suddenly said. His voice sounded so calm and gentle. And it was so close to Midorikawa's ear...  
Hiroto folded his arms, which were in front of Midorikawa's chest, then he started:  
"I know I've done a lot of things wrong in my life and there's much I regret. I promise I'll try my best to learn from my mistakes and do less in the future. However..." He paused, stayed quiet for a moment and pulled Midorikawa even closer. "However, there is one sin that I have been guilty of for a long time now and still don't regret it." Midorikawa listened carefully, he almost held his breath. And then Hiroto said it. The words that changed everything forever. "I'm deeply in love with my best friend."

Midorikawa grabbed Hiroto's forearms quickly and pushed them away, turning around and staring at him speechlessly with his eyes and mouth both open.  
"I- I-...", he started without knowing what he was planning to say. He couldn't believe it. He simply couldn't believe what Hiroto had just said. That was impossible! Simply impossible! He saw him kissing Soraya! Hiroto had a girlfriend. He probably just said those words to make Midorikawa calm down. But why? Didn't he see how mean that was? How it would hurt him only more?  
"I mean it", Hiroto said. He looked at him with a serious expression. His bright eyes were focused on Midorikawa's and the green haired boy couldn't take his eyes off him.  
"I love you, Midorikawa."  
It felt as if those words made him freeze. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything for a moment. Then he started blinking a few times, just like one would do right after waking up in the morning.  
Meanwhile, Hiroto continued talking.  
"I should have told you earlier. Much earlier. But it felt like you were getting more and more distanced towards me and I tried to get the idea out of my head. I thought you just wouldn't like me back anyway. And then Soraya asked me to go out with her... I can't even tell you why I agreed to it. Maybe because she was so persistent and I thought it might be a good idea to get you out of my head. But it was a mistake. I noticed that and that's why I told her today that it won't work with us. She was the one who tried kissing me but I didn't let it happen. I know how it must have looked for you, but trust me, it wasn't like that."  
He meant it. He really meant it. With every word he said, Midorikawa began to realize that this wasn't a dream. And even if they were standing in the middle of the graveyard that always made him feel like he was entering a nightmare, this was neither a good nor a bad dream. It was reality. It was his real life. The life in which his parents had died in a car accident when he was six - because of his phone call. The life in which the person he loved the most had just confessed his feelings to him.  
"H-Hiroto, I...", he started again, still not knowing what to answer. He was completely shocked. So shocked that he didn't even notice how happy he was. Those words were echoing in his head like the sweetest melody he had ever heard. "I love you, Midorikawa. I love you. I love you. I love you."  
"I love you too", he finally managed to say, but the pitch of his voice sounded higher than usual as tears made their way over his face again. He didn't know why he started crying now. It was probably all just too much for him to take. He lowered his head and looked at the floor, not really knowing what to do, but Hiroto didn't let him think about it much longer. He raised both hands to Midorikawa's shoulders and made him look up, then pulled him into another hug. And this time Midorikawa returned it, wrapped his arms around him and grabbed the fabric of Hiroto's shirt. He felt Hiroto's hands caressing the back of his neck and it was the most perfect feeling he had ever felt in his life. He just closed his eyes and buried his head on Hiroto's shoulder, taking a deep breath to inhale the sweet scent of the other male.

"I love you", he heard Hiroto whisper again.  
They kept standing like this for a moment. Hiroto didn't let go of him until Midorikawa's sobbing became less. Only then, he pulled back slightly. He looked into Midorikawa's dark eyes, then his gaze wandered downwards to his lips. He leaned in and tilted his head to the side, closing his eyes while doing so. But then he suddenly felt Midorikawa's finger on his lips and opened up his eyes again, a little worried that he was rushing things too much. But Midorikawa smiled at him gently before taking his hand down again.  
"Not here", he whispered. "I don't want my first kiss to happen on a graveyard."  
Hiroto couldn't help but chuckle. Yes, he was probably right. They should save that for a more fitting surrounding. He returned the smile and nodded, then he took Midorikawa's hand in his.  
"Let's go home then, okay? It'll get dark soon."  
Midorikawa nodded and turned around to the grave once more. His eyes fell on the names, then on the flowers he had placed there earlier.  
"Good night, Mom and Dad", he said only in his thoughts. "Good night, Nee-san!"  
Then he turned around and left the graveyard with Hiroto at his side. Their hands were still holding each other, fingers entwined, and neither of them would let go on their whole way home.

~  
  
"That's it?", Kariya asked and turned his head around, leaning his body to the side so that he could look at Midorikawa's face. His eyebrows were knitted and he stared at him sceptically. "I mean, that's all?"  
Midorikawa grinned.  
"Yes, that's it."  
"Pfff..." The boy turned his back to the older one again and dropped his chin on his knees.  
"What a lame story! And he really confessed to you on a graveyard? That's gross!"  
Midorikawa started laughing.  
"Well excuse me that my life isn't a perfect Hollywood movie."  
"So where did you have your first kiss in the end? Tell me about that!", the boy shamelessly asked and Midorikawa blushed, then messed up Kariya's hair with his hand.  
"No, I won't!"  
Kariya waved his hands above his head to slap Midorikawa's away, then tried to fix his hair but as expected, he was quite unsuccessful.  
"Pfff, I'll ask Hiroto about it later then", the boy decided.  
Midorikawa chuckled and shook his head.  
"So", he then started. "Why did you ask me to tell you about that all of a sudden?"  
Kariya shrugged.  
"Why not?"  
Suddenly something came to Midorikawa's mind and a teasing grin formed on his lips when he leaned to the side to catch a glimpse of the boy's face in front of him. He reached out his hand and poked Kariya's cheek with his index finger.  
"Is there maybe someone you like, Kariya~?", he asked.  
"WHAT? NOWAY!"  
The words were like a trigger that made Kariya jump forward and out of Midorikawa's arms, but the older one was faster and wrapped his arms around the boy, hugging him and cuddling him like a teddy bear.  
"Awww, that's so cute Kariya! First love is something so special and exciting!"  
"S-stop that! You're embarrassing, oh my god!", the boy complained and tried to escape but all he could do was fidget like a fish in its net. Midorikawa laughed but then he loosened his grip and just pressed his cheek against Kariya's hair. Ah, he really loved that child like his own son.

"Hmmm", he mumbled and closed his eyes for a moment, smiling happily. "If you ever want to invite someone, you can do that, Kariya. Just tell me beforehand okay? So that I can prepare more food."  
"Hmpf", the boy mumbled - he was actually just busy trying to make the blush on his cheeks disappear.  
"And Kariya?"  
"Hm?" He sounded as if he was pouting but Midorikawa knew that this was just how Kariya was. He always got embarrassed easily, especially if Midorikawa or Hiroto acted like typical parents.  
"You should tell him."  
"Eeeeh?"  
Finally, Kariya crawled forward and turned around to sit face to face with Midorikawa. The young man just smiled at him, gentle and cheerful as always.  
"That's the moral of my story", he said. "Would have saved me many sleepless nights if I'd told Hiroto my feelings right away."  
"Hmmm...", Kariya grumbled and looked down at the blanket. "W-whatever! I'm tired now!", he said and didn't sound tired at all. But before Midorikawa could say anything, Kariya already crawled under the blanket next to him, rolled on his side, and mumbled a quick "Good night", before closing his eyes.  
Midorikawa looked down at him and smiled.  
"Good night, Kariya."  
He lay down and switched off the lamp on his nightstand. He was lying there, waiting to fall asleep for a while but then he heard the vibrating alarm of his phone. He reached out for it and checked the screen. It was a message from Hiroto.  
 _"Getting on the plane soon. Counting the hours until I can kiss you again. I love you!"_  
Midorikawa smiled and then wrote a short reply, before putting the phone back and closing his eyes again.  
As soon as he woke up in the morning, he'd drive to the airport and pick Hiroto up from his business trip. And then a long free weekend would await them, during which they planned to visit an amusement park along with Kariya.  
Midorikawa thought back to his dream... He might have lost his family far too early but now he wasn't alone anymore. He had found his own little family and for them he wanted to be strong. He wanted to be there for them and protect them. And that's what he was going to do.

~  
  
The school bell rang after what felt like eternity for the students of Raimon Jr High. Kariya ran out of the classroom to make his way to the second year building. He looked around near the entrance since he didn't know if the person he was looking for had already left the building.  
But then he saw him at the gate, saying goodbye to Shindou, who walked home into the opposite direction.  
"Kirino-Senpai!", Kariya shouted while running over to his older teammate.  
The boy, who was about to walk off, stopped and turned around.  
"Ah, Kariya, it's you!", he said. After they had settled their little conflicts, Kirino treated him just as friendly or most of the time neutral as most others of the team.  
"Yeah", Kariya said and started walking with him. "You're going home?" What a stupid question. Of course he was!  
"Yes. Since we don't have training today, I'm going to use the free time to study for upcoming exams", Kirino explained. How mature he was...  
"Ah, yeah, sounds like a good idea..." Kariya raised his hands behind his head, acting as if he was stretching. "Well I guess my weekend will be more or less boring", he said and shrugged. "Going to an amusement park."  
"An amusement park?", Kirino repeated. "How is that boring?"  
"I'm going with my... wanna-be adoptive parents", he said. He never really knew how to refer to Hiroto and Midorikawa. He looked at Kirino from the corner of his eyes, trying to read his thoughts from his expression when he finally asked:

"Uhm... wanna come along?"  
"Me?" Kirino looked surprised. They weren't so close as to spend their free time together, so he didn't expect Kariya to ask something like that.  
Kariya regretted the question only a second after he had asked it and tried to make the best out of the awkward situation.  
"I- I mean only if you want to", he stuttered. "I just thought it would be less boring than with only two adults, you know?"  
Kirino smiled - something which came quite unexpected for Kariya. Just like the words that followed.  
"Of course. Thanks for asking me, Kariya. I'd love to come along."  
Kariya couldn't help but to grin like an idiot, though he tried his best to hide it. Yes, Midorikawa was probably right. After all, being straightforward wasn't such a bad idea.


End file.
